The Community as Classroom: Exploring the Possibility of Community Learning in Distance Occupational Therapy Education

1. The Community as Classroom: Exploring the Possibility of Community Learning in Distance Occupational Therapy Education Presented by Joy Doll, OTD, OTR/L Kathy Flecky, OTD, OTR/LCreighton UniversityDepartment of Occupational TherapyCASTL Presentation 2009Omaha, NE

2. Welcome! Research question Program overview What is service learning? Success with service learning Next steps

3. Research Questions • How can a service learning toolkit aid in development and maintenance of community partnerships both in local and distance service learning? • What impact do service-learning experiences (as part of occupational therapy coursework) have on distance students and distance community partners? • What do distance students learn from service-learning experiences? • What do distance community partners report about engaging with occupational therapy students to meet community needs?

4. Occupational Therapy Program • The mission of Creighton's Department of Occupational Therapy is to educate ethical practitioners, engage in scholarship dedicated to the pursuit of truth, serve the profession, and offer occupational therapy expertise to local and global communities. • Creighton occupational therapy graduates will be creative, holistic, reflective, and committed to life-long learning.

5. Curricular Model

6. Creighton University (CU)-University of Alaska Anchorage (UAA) Connection • 2005: UAA contacted Dr. Alfred Bracciano • (CU faculty member) to determine feasibility • of starting an OT program • Result of feasibility study was that starting a new program was cost prohibitive • After a series of discussions and visits, a contract was developed for CU to deliver a program in a distance format • Fall 2008: First cohort of students (Class of 2011) began pilot program Source: Jensen, L. (2009). Fieldwork Education: How do I sign up? Presented at the Alaska Occupational Therapy Association Spring Conference. Anchorage, Alaska.

7. CU Distance OT Program • Purpose of pilot program is to help meet the health needs of Alaska (mission-driven) • Educating OTs in the state helps ensure they stay in the state of Alaska to practice • This should ultimately lessen the shortage of OTs so that a largely rural, underserved, aging population can be served Source: Jensen, L. (2009). Fieldwork Education: How do I sign up? Presented at the Alaska Occupational Therapy Association Spring Conference. Anchorage, Alaska.

8. CU Distance OT Program • Students in distance program will be Creighton University students • Program will admit ~10 students from Alaska per year for 3 years (pilot program) • Program delivery • Didactic courses will be taught in a distance (i.e. online) format (synchronous or asynchronous) • Lab courses will be taught by OTs practicing in the state of Alaska who will be hired as CU adjunct faculty • Fieldwork will be completed in the state of Alaska Source: Jensen, L. (2009). Fieldwork Education: How do I sign up? Presented at the Alaska Occupational Therapy Association Spring Conference. Anchorage, Alaska.

9. Service Learning Service-learning is a form of experiential education where learning occurs through a cycle of action and reflection as students work with others through a process of applying what they are learning to community problems and, at the same time, reflecting upon their experience as they seek to achieve real objectives for the community and deeper understanding and skills for themselves. Eyler, J., & D.E. Giles, J. (1999).

10. Success! • Previous research project: A mixed method design gathering quantitative and qualitative information from students, community partners, faculty and administrators. Students: • 34 Entry-Level Occupational Therapy Doctorate (EOTD) campus-based first year students • Participated in service-learning experiences as part of coursework in 2 occupational therapy courses over 2 consecutive semesters. Community Partners: • 13 community partners that were recruited based on interest • Partners expressed a desire to team with students and faculty for service learning projects aimed to meet community needs. Faculty & Administrators: 2 faculty instructors of record and 1 administrator Doll, Flecky & Kochenower (2009)

11. Results • Service-learning can have a positive influence on students’ impression about interacting with community • Students think positively about service-learning and engaging in the community • Interacting within the community provides many opportunities for students to apply the skills taught in a classroom to real life situations • Using the community as a classroom can provide endless opportunities toward producing competent and skillful practitioners

12. Students were positive role models for community Students were very responsive and easy to work with Students’ service was fulfilling a real need in the community THEMES Partners expressed overwhelming desire for return of students Student involvement aided in educating community Initial Results

13. Toolkit Introduction Community Documents Community Assessment #1 Community Assessment #2 (for schools) Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) Health Outreach Program Contract Health Fair Evaluation Release Form Classroom Documents Community Justification Assignment (Campus students) Community Justification Assignment (Distance students) Reflection Questions Reflection In-Class Activity Reflection Grading Rubric Student Service Learning Pre-Survey Student Supply Request Form

14. Toolkit • Faculty Documents Faculty Survey Program PrePlanning Worksheet Program Planning Worksheet Program Development Worksheet Program Analysis Worksheet SWOT Analysis Worksheet Identifying Community Capacity What is Service? Presentation Faculty Service Learning Request Form • Research Documents Research Protocol Survey Forms Focus Group Forms

15. Now, we know it works… But how does service-learning translate at a distance? We need your help!

16. Literature Review Most of the literature discusses use of technology for reflection Models of distance education with in-person service Students set up own service learning (J Lee, personal communication, June 2, 2009)

17. Literature Review Cont’d • Burton, E. (2003). Distance Learning and Service-Learning in the Accelerated Format. New Directions for Adult and Continuing Education, 97, 63-71. • Distance prep – international service • James-DeramoM, Macedo P. Distance and Service Learning in the Sciences: Augmenting the Science Curriculum of Rural Schools through Online Mentoring and Electronic Communication. Retrieved online at: http://www.servicelearning.org/page/index.php?detailed=251 • Lorenzetti, J. P. (2007). How to: Incorporate service-learning into your distance education course. • Perkins, G., Pichon, H. & Williamson, M. (2009). Incorporating service-learning into distance education

18. References Doll, J., Flecky, K., & Kowenower, J. (April, 2009). The community as classroom: Assessing the impact of service-learning in occupational therapy education. American Occupational Therapy Association Annual Meeting, Houston, Tx Eyler, J., & D.E. Giles, J. (1999). Where’s the learning in service-learning? San Francisco: Jossey Bass. Lorenzetti, J. P. (October, 15, 2007). How to: Incorporate service learning into your distance education course. Distance Education Report. Perkins, G., Pichons, H., & Williamson, M. (2009). Incorporating service learning into distance education. (Abstract). In C. Crawford et al. (Eds.), Proceedings of Society for Information Technology and Teacher Education International Conference 2009. (pp. 2071-2076). Chesapeake, VA: AACE.